Five Chinese coast guard ships, Monday (26/2), entered prohibited or restricted waters around Taiwan's frontline island, Kinmen. However, they immediately left after being warned, said a Taiwanese minister, Tuesday (27/2). The incident occurred amid rising tensions with China.
China's coast guard this month began routine patrols around the Kinmen islands controlled by Taiwan but close to China's coast. The patrol was carried out after two Chinese nationals died while trying to escape from Taiwan's coast guard after their boat entered restricted waters.
Speaking to reporters at parliament, Kuan Bi-ling, head of Taiwan's Maritime Affairs Council, which runs the coast guard, said the Chinese ships left the area as soon as Taiwan's coast guard told them to leave.
Taiwan's Ministry of Defense said last week that it was not reinforcing its troops on islands near China, including the Matsu Islands which lie above the Kinmen Islands, but are also close to the Chinese coast.
Also speaking in parliament, Tuesday (27/2), Taiwanese Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng said that he hoped what happened around Kinmen would not escalate and would be “handled well.”
China's coast guard, which has no publicly available contact information, did not immediately comment.
China does not recognize Taiwan's claim to sovereignty, and accused Taiwan of acting “maliciously” by causing the deaths of two Chinese citizens on a fishing boat. The ship was too close to one of Kinmen's heavily guarded islands. (chance)